ABUSE OF THE SCAPHANDER IN THE SPONGE FISHERIES. 537 
boat Rapido brought the proper authorities to the above-mentioned point, and three 
bodies of Greek divers were found. Microscopic examination, made by the ship’s 
surgeon, showed that the divers were suffocated, and it was found they were afterwards 
buried by their comrades without notice to the authorities of Lampedusa. Thanks to the 
presence of the dispatch boat Rapido, these regrettable facts were found out and it 
was shown that the Greek captains of sponge vessels do not observe all the necessary 
precautionary measures demanded by humanity in this work. 
In the interest of justice and humanity the Italian Ministry of the Navy 
requested the Greek Government to take measures in order that such incidents 
should not occur again, and the Greek Ministry published on the 3/15 of Feb- 
ruary, 1898, a circular to the harbor masters and the consular authorities, 
enjoining them to see that the captains of the sponge-fishing craft observed 
rigorously all requirements, including the circular issued by the Ministry of the 
Navy on April 21/24, 1896, on precautions for divers. But all these measures 
remained without result, because the Greek Government does not fix the respon- 
sibility for cases of death and sickness, as we have already mentioned. The 
Ottoman Government likewise holds no one responsible for the abuse of the 
diving apparatus in spite of the prohibition of August, 1902. 
Fortunately a change has taken place since 1901 in the attitude of the 
Italian Ministry of the Navy in regard to the diving apparatus. In addition to 
the partial prohibition of 1902 in regard to the depth, we find in the ‘‘ Condizioni” 
during the later years reports almost similar to that of 1906 for the cruise of 1904, 
which I transcribe here: 
The use of diving apparatus, which was fortunately not adopted by our sponge 
fishermen, is, although preferred for the selection of the product, always harmful and 
often deadly to those using it. 
This sentence and especially the word ‘fortunately,’ as well as the partial 
prohibition of 1902, is a declaration of the Ministry of the Navy of conviction 
that the diving apparatus is harmful, a conviction which ought to be substantiated 
by an entire prohibition. The limited questionable merit for selection of the 
product is of very small practical value and is easily changed into an evil if we 
think that after the selection of the large sponges soon the smaller and smallest 
are taken and the young growth is being crushed by the heavy and broad soles 
of the divers. The use of diving apparatus in sponge fishing is thus wholly con- 
demned and ought to be prohibited by every wise government. 
The other official body in Rome concerned with the fisheries, the Commis- 
sione Consultiva per la Pesca, which has been for more than twenty years a part 
of the Ministry of Agriculture, has as yet taken no action further than to recog- 
nize the question as deserving of study, action being deferred pending fuller infor- 
mation. Such delay is most dangerous to the interests at stake, since much evil 
may be done during the time consumed in further study of the subject. 
